Judge approves a new gang injunction in Santa Ana

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY PRESS RELEASE

Date: January 16, 2015

JUDGE ENJOINS 13TH ORANGE COUNTY VIOLENT STREET GANG FROM TERRORIZING NEIGHBORHOOD IN SANTA ANA

*This is the second gang injunction in the City of Santa Ana

SANTA ANA – A violent Santa Ana criminal street gang has been permanently enjoined from terrorizing the community and acting as a public nuisance, marking the 13th injunction to be brought against Orange County gangs and the second in the City of Santa Ana. This injunction is in response to decades of violent crimes committed by this gang and numerous residents pleading with law enforcement to eliminate the gang presence so that they no longer have to live in fear.

During the litigation on this case, a minor who was an active participant in the gang was murdered, a witness suffered a brutal assault, a woman was shot while waiting for a bus, a loaded sawed-off shotgun was discovered concealed in bushes in the gang’s claimed territory, and the gang’s graffiti vandalism has continued to plague the area. Ten individuals still contesting the injunction will be given a court hearing to contest their gang involvement.

“Gang injunctions work to reduce crime, especially in neighborhoods where there have been a number of reports about gang activity and violence. We can’t abandon the residents who must live and work in these neighborhoods and lack the resources to help eradicate the problem,” said District Attorney Rackauckas. “This community deserves to live in peace and not have to have their lives endangered based on the actions of a criminal street gang.”

“Our main objective is to bring all available resources to bear on criminal street gangs impacting the safety of our community,” said Santa Ana Police Chief Carlos Rojas. “This gang injunction will give us a valuable tool in our efforts for a safer Santa Ana.”

Deputy District Attorney Susan Eckermann prepared the injunction on behalf of the Gang Unit of the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.

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TONY RACKAUCKAS, District Attorney

Susan Kang Schroeder, Chief of Staff
Office: 714-347-8408
Cell: 714-292-2718